1-Aira the Queen

"To me, a Queen only exists in the media. A woman who wears a beautiful jewelled crown and never loses her noble dignity. That's the image that comes to mind when I think of a Queen.

There was a Queen that I came to know recently. Aira Von Tarantera VIII. Quick-witted people would have already guessed by her name that she's the Queen, though not in reality, rather she's a villain character in the novel 'Villain Hunter.'

That's right. She's a villain character. Aira Von Tarantera. In the story, she is a tyrant. She's someone who's the farthest away from being a good Queen.

According to the description in the novel, Aira was a beautiful girl with black hair and eyes. Although she was very pretty and outstanding, she had a low position in terms of succeeding the throne.

That was until one day, her brothers and sisters, who were above her in status, suddenly died for a variety of reasons. Ultimately, she became the Queen at a young age of 17. She had 17 brothers and sisters, but who knew what their fate was, as they all died in a year. The novel didn't describe that part much.

As a result, the child, who was supposed to be the last to inherit the throne, became the successor because she was the last remaining descendant of the Royal Family.

Now, what would happen when a young, foolish girl of the Royal Family, who knew she would never ascend to the throne in her lifetime, suddenly came to power...

"Guards, off with his head-!"

I was watching the scene unfold right in front of my eyes.

"Please, Your Majesty-!"

Belmott Douglas, the Finance Minister at the Court, was terribly perplexed. He pleaded that the amount of tax levied by the Royal Family was too much and that it would cause a backlash among the lords.

"Your Majesty-! Please, listen to me just once."

No matter how foolish of a Queen she was, how could she not know what 'off with his head' meant towards him, who was trusted by many nobles and people?

In fact, the people around who were watching were also making a fuss.

'She wants to behead him?'

'Is this for real?'

'Heu, no-. Someone do something-.'

'Someone say something to that crazy Queen-.'

It'd been about three years after Aira became the Queen. Although she had issued many bizarre orders during her reign, this was the first time she had ordered an execution that ignored legal procedures, so it was natural that people were perplexed.

What should we do?

I don't know. What are your plans?

No-. She's not beheading a thief, that's Lord Belmott-. How can we do that-?

The Royal Guards could only look at each other. Their hands were on their swords, but not moving.

"What are you doing-? I said behead him-. If you won't do it, then I'll do it myself!"

Unable to bear such a sight any longer, Aira groaned and drew a sword from the scabbard of the Guard who was standing next to the throne.

"Ahh, this cool feeling. After wearing the crown, it's been a long while since I've used a sword."

The sword in Aira's hand vibrated, seemingly eager to taste blood. Aira would then cut the head off the old man in one graceful swing, with a skill comparable to the Kingdom's Sword Master.

That was the story. After taking her first blood, Aira would continue on before finally getting deposed. She would then later be hanged on the gallows. The scene where she struggled and died was very exhilarating to me as a reader, but not to the current me.

"Belmott-. Since this Queen is merciful, despite your audacity to speak nonsense, I'll let you leave your last will."

Shingg-. Aira put her sword on Belmott's neck. However, she did not behead him immediately.

"I will give you time to leave a will. Because I, Aira Von Tarantera VIII, am generous."

"…."

Belmott was kneeling with his head bowed down. At this time, when he lifted his head, one could see a detached expression on his face. It was the face of a person who was prepared for their death.

I'd seen quite a few people with that kind of expression lately… The words that came out of their mouths were usually as follows.

"A glorious Kingdom and 500 years of history are being brought to ruin by a foolish girl and a demon. I have no face to show my ancestors. So, upon my death, keep my corpse away from their graves."

"Wh, what-?!"

Aira's expression darkened. The gap between this look on a pretty woman's face and her beauty was so sharp of a contrast, it was scary.

"Alright then-. As you wish, I will tear your corpse to shreds and sprinkle it as fish food-!"

She raised her sword high while everyone either closed their eyes tightly or covered their faces with their hands, knowing what was coming. Everything was over.

They thought that the blood of an old and loyal servant would warm the Court floor at that moment. And that no one could stop this tragedy from happening-.

However, in this funeral hall-like Court, there was one person.

"Your Majesty-."

A tall figure.

As I opened my lips,

"Hmm-. Yes. In fact, that's what I was thinking too."

"Indeed, the great and wise Queen Aira knows that this impromptu execution is not good to set an example."

I repeated this like a martyr, trying to make my voice loud and clear. It was awkward at first, but after a year of practice, I improved.

As I spoke, I observed Aira's expression. She folded her arms and nodded, lowering her sword.

"Hmm, indeed. That's right. Even I thought a simple beheading was too merciful. So, Tae-oh, continue to voice the thoughts you read in my mind."

What did she mean by reading her thoughts? I was furious but refrained from swearing. I took a moment to calm down.

The point here was to break the momentum. Dealing with Aira required capturing everyone's attention, and it took me a whole year to figure that out.

Looking around, I noticed the grim looks from the others. They probably thought I was trying to gain favour with the Queen.

However, I couldn't care less. My only goal was to survive.

If I died here, there was no guarantee I would return to my own body in the 21st century.

So, in order to live, I said, "Respected Queen, I brought Miss Clara, Belmott's daughter, to the Court."

"You brought Belmott's daughter!?" Queen Aira exclaimed, visibly excited. It was the first time she had heard of this. Obviously, she played no part in it.

At that moment, I snapped my fingers, and men in black robes dragged in a slender girl with blonde hair, tearing her clothes.

"Kyaa-!"

"Oh, Clara-!"

Belmott's expression changed from apathy to shock. He never expected his precious daughter to be brought here.

He hid his family beforehand, but I knew their hideout near the Southern Desert City of Kel'thas from reading the novel. It might be unethical, but I had no choice.

Belmott was intelligent, and he must have realized that his daughter had been taken hostage by me.

He was afraid of what I, Tae-oh, known as a demon, would do to his daughter after he was dead.

Fathers could endure a blade at their necks, but they couldn't bear harm to their children.

In the end, Belmott would apologize to the Queen and avoid the death penalty.

I had spent the last few days coming up with this plan, pulling my hair out in the process.

And now, this plan was unfolding before my eyes.

Right now, in this Court, I was controlling people's emotions!

With this, the death flags hanging over me would disappear. It was my victory!

I grinned insidiously, trying to hide my joy.

Aira put her sword on the floor and started clapping.

"I see, that's right. Tae-oh, you've exactly read my thoughts! So, you'd like to see both Belmott and his daughter Clara indulge in the act of incest in front of everyone, correct?"

"Yeah?"

No, I didn't think of that.

"As expected from you, Tae-oh. You are the only one who understands me. You know what I want!"

What she wanted? Hold on, let's pause. I didn't think that far.

Commit incest? Right here? This is terrible!

I could feel everyone's eyes on me.

They probably noticed that I was tempting Aira without her knowledge.

"Ah-."

I felt like pulling my hair out.

I tried to keep Belmott alive, but Aira just kept fanning the flames.

"Aira, you crazy woman, that's your death flag!" I wanted to cry out loudly, but I couldn't.

Why were you so eager to rush towards your death!?

Could it be that the future set by fate for these characters was inevitable?

Just as heroes in myths couldn't avoid absurd oracles, maybe mortals couldn't escape fate no matter how hard they tried.

Even if I, an ordinary person, used all my wits, was Aira still destined to become a villain?

And what would happen to me, the bootlicker named Tae-oh, if Aira was executed?

No, there was no point in asking. I was certain that the angry crowd would tear me to pieces.

I was angry.

Screw fate!

I wouldn't accept it.

There might be those who laughed at my misfortune and threw stones at me, but I would outlive them all and be the one who gets the last laugh.

I started to think about my next moves.

There must be a way. Come on, you've persevered for a year now…

"Your Majesty…"

However, fortunately or unfortunately, Belmott, who was embracing his daughter, bowed before the Queen in tears.

"Your Majesty, Queen Aira-. Please have mercy on this old servant. I have indeed committed a mortal sin-. But, my daughter…"

"Ah, Father…"

The sight of an old father and his naked daughter hugging each other while crying was enough to make many people's eyes wet.

The Queen's Guards, who would steal candy from a crying child and beat them up on Aira's order, even they couldn't bear this.

"I can't stand it."

"Me too. When are we leaving work?"

"We just got here…"

At this pitiful scene, they secretly averted their eyes, wearing bitter expressions under their helmets.

Only Aira was smiling.

"What shall I do? The crime of opposing the Queen is grave. How should we handle this?"

It was as if a little child was asked to choose a gift by their parents.

And once again, it was my turn.

"Tell me, Your Majesty the Queen, what's your take, Tae-oh."

"Yes?"

Aira asked for my opinion, listening only to me, a gardener, and ignoring the others present.

Looking at it, I once again felt the same feeling I had every day for the past year.

I had become the servant of the wretched Queen.

No matter how much I thought about it, I…